April tech stock preview: Eyes on Apple Watch
Is April 2015 finally the right time for consumers to strap on a smartwatch?
Tech behemoth Apple (AAPL) will launch its long-awaited wearable computing device, the Apple Watch, on April 24, starting at $350 and climbing all the way up to as much as $17,000.
The device is seen by many experts as the jolt the smartwatch industry needs to capture consumers' attention.
Research firm IDC predicts shipments of "smart wearables" — devices that can run third-party apps — will top 25.7 million this year, more than five times the amount compared with last year.
"The Apple Watch raises the profile of wearables in general, and there are many vendors and devices that are eager to share the spotlight," says IDC research manager Ramon Llamas.
Apple Watch is expected to lead the charge. CCS Insight predicts Apple will sell more than 20 million smartwatches by the end of the year.
But that's not all for Apple. Three days after the Apple Watch launches comes another big event for Wall Street: quarterly Apple earnings, where we'll likely learn whether the tech giant has another hit on its hands.
Meanwhile, brace yourself: Another tech earnings bonanza awaits. Here are three more to watch in April:
Netflix (NFLX): The company is expected to report first-quarter earnings later this month, as it gets ready to welcome a big competitor in the streaming media marketplace. HBO launches its highly anticipated stand-alone subscription on Apple devices. Although no specific date has been set, don't be surprised if it's available for the April 12 premiere of the fifth season of Game of Thrones.
Microsoft (MSFT): On April 23, the tech giant reports third-quarter earnings after the markets close. As a select group of beta testers checks out an early preview of Windows 10 — out this summer — Microsoft revealed it will include an early look at Project Spartan, the successor to the company's Web browser Internet Explorer.
Yahoo (YHOO): Fresh off announcing it will buy back an additional $2 billion in stock, the company will report first-quarter earnings later this month.
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Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.